ALP: A crisis of policies and ideology

by Peter Symon*

The recent announcements by some trade union officials that they have or 
are considering resigning from the Labor Party reflect a deep-seated and 
widespread dissatisfaction and disillusionment with the ALP among working 
people.

It is a crisis of political leadership of the working class. It is a crisis 
of the policies and ideology of the Labor Party which have been followed by 
many trade unions.

Disillusionment, frustration and anger have been building up for a number 
of years and will intensify as the leadership of the Labor Party distances 
itself more and more from the interests of the working class and the trade 
unions.

The intention of the ALP leadership to "modernise" the Party signals an 
intention to continue in that direction come what may.

The present day disillusionment (there have been previous periods of 
dissatisfaction with Labor — the actions of Labor governments during the 
1930s' depression, for example) commenced with the adoption of economic 
rationalist policies by the Hawke/Keating Governments of the 1980s and 
'90s.

The Labor Party adopted the so-called "competition policy". Its main aim 
was to justify the breaking up and privatisation of public enterprises. 
Since then the privatisation of publicly owned enterprises and institutions 
has been pushed by the Howard Government and by both Liberal and Labor 
State Governments.

As public ownership went, so did the social charters that were associated 
with public enterprises. Profits came first — not social responsibilities 
and commitments.

Private ownership was crowned king and the ALP doffed its cap to the 
corporations. Not even those public enterprises that had been created by 
the Labor Party years before, were defended.

Many other consequences flowed from the adoption of economic rationalist 
policies. Instead of technology leading to shorter working hours and other 
benefits for workers it became accepted that technology was sufficient 
reason for the number of workers employed to be substantially reduced. 
Support for a reduction in overall working hours was abandoned.

Tens of thousands were sacked and hours of work rose substantially. The 
argument that employers had to cut costs, despite enormous profits, was 
accepted. The centralised system of legally binding awards was scuttled and 
individual work contracts introduced along with widespread casualisation.

All these measures are means by which employers reduce costs, and at the 
same time, reduce the living standards of workers.

The ALP failed to take a stand against contracting out, casualisation of 
the workforce, privatisation, the winding back of Medicare and the 
promotion of private health insurance, the cutbacks to public housing, the 
transfer of state school funds to private schools and cuts to university 
funding.

It is in these circumstances that the perception is growing that there is 
little difference between the Labor Party and the Liberal Party — and it 
is true. With this disillusionment came the search for an alternative.

The fact that many trade union leaders failed to contest the policies and 
arguments being advanced by the leaders of the Labor Party resulted in 
widespread disillusionment among workers with trade unions as well.

This is the basic reason for the sharp slump in trade union membership.

The argument of some workers was simple: Why should we pay money to a trade 
union when the union appears to be not even trying to protect our living 
standards and working conditions?

This is not to accept this argument or to overlook the undoubted 
difficulties for trade unions created by anti-trade union legislation. 
However, there was an all too ready acceptance of the policies and 
arguments put forward by the Labor Party and the employers that are behind 
the present political crisis.

The accumulated bad results of these policies for the working people are 
now being expressed as disillusionment in the Labor Party and the welcome 
search for an alternative.

But the solution is not to be found in mere organisational measures but in 
the adoption of working class policies and ideology.

Disillusionment up to now has been expressed in one election after another 
as the primary votes for both the Labor Party and the Liberal Party have 
gone down and those of some of the smaller parties have risen.

In desperation some voted for the demagogy of One Nation. Others fell for 
the racism and phony nationalism of the Liberal Party. Some went to the 
much more progressive Greens. But overall, the vote of the disillusioned 
was fragmented and without direction.

The search for an alternative has now been taken up by a number of trade 
union leaders and that is what makes it significant. The strength of the 
trade union movement could give a progressive direction to this community-
wide search for an alternative, provided a range of policies which 
challenge the power and privilege of big business is presented and 
campaigned for. The unacceptable and failed policies of the past need to be 
combated openly.

Working people require honest representation and policies that will look 
after their interests. Anti-worker policies and sham arguments that have 
had such bad consequences for working people need to be rejected.

There has been some talk of forming a "workers party" and it is reported 
that a constitution has been drafted. Some have spoken about joining the 
Greens. It is certain that others will be persuaded to remain in the ALP, 
accepting the argument of the present ALP leaders that by staying in, the 
policies of the Party may be changed. Will they?

The argument of unity is also being raised. But unity for what policies? 
Simon Crean's determination to "modernise" the Labor Party by weakening its 
trade union and working class connections is hardly an acceptable basis for 
unity.

For its part, the Communist Party supports every effort to win support for 
policies that serve the interests of the working class. Many others, in a 
variety of organisations, also support and advance such policies.

Working class policieis include support for public ownership with social 
commitments, working class democracy (which means the participation of the 
working people in all aspects of economic, social and political life), 
peaceful and humanitarian relations with other countries, substantial 
improvements in living standards, jobs, a fully maintained public health 
service and public education system and much more.

The implemention of such policies requires the establishment of a new type 
of government such as has not been seen in Australia before.

Such a government, closely linked with the people's mass movements and 
struggles, could implement many of the policy proposals which have been put 
forward by the left and progressive political parties, by trade unions, 
environmental, peace, educational and community organisations, health and 
democratic rights bodies.

To be effective, we believe that such a new type of government would have 
to substantially curb the power of the big corporations.

Such a government would include the political representatives of all the 
progressive and democratic forces, from communist and left Labor, from 
trade unions and progressive community organisations, from the Greens and 
environmental organisations, from working farmers, professional and small 
business circles. It would be democratic and multi-party and answerable to 
the people — the vast majority of whom are working people.

This is not some opportunist ploy arising from recent developments but is 
rooted in the historical fact that to bring about a significant change in 
direction Australia needs a government giving priority to the needs and 
interests of the working people, to country people, to educators and 
professionals and those who provide the many necessary services required by 
the community.

The Communist Party would contribute by assisting work on policies in 
cooperation with others, working for unity, providing hard working 
activists and so on. Communists have proved to be committed and reliable 
stalwarts who are loyal to the working class.

The Communist Party has a wide range of working class policies. It is a 
working class party. Those who are committed to the immediate and longer-
term interests of the working class have a place in its ranks as active 
members. We hope that those who are at present looking for an alternative 
do not limit their perspectives and will think seriously about joining the 
CPA.

In Australia, the best years for the trade union movement were those of the 
1940s, '50s and '60s when the Communist Party of Australia had considerable 
influence in the working class, in the trade unions and the labour movement 
generally. Many of the strongest unions of those years had a combined 
communist and left Labor leadership.

The present CPA needs to be much stronger and this can only happen when 
working class and other committed activists join it, thereby extending the 
Party's activities and helping in the formulation of policies in the fields 
of social, economic, political and cultural life.

Of course, each present member of the Labor Party, in considering their 
disillusionment and what is to be done about it, will make their own 
decision.

Whatever the outcome, the CPA will continue to respect and work with all 
who have similar or identical policies on the many issues that confront the 
working people of our country.

* * *

* Peter Symon is the General Secretary of the Communist Party of 
Australia